Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Photo Gallery

READING, Pa. - On a frigid and windy afternoon the Lady Lions (6-19/1-9 CC) faced off against number seven nationally ranked Messiah College (28-5/9-1 CC) in a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader. To say the defending Division III national champs had their hands full would be an understatement as the Falcons squeezed out a 2-0 extra inning and 6-0 victories over the pink and white Saturday afternoon at the Albright Softball Field.

Despite suffering the two losses, the Lady Lions had absolutely nothing to hang their heads about, after going toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in Division III softball today. Not only was Albright looking to upset the Falcons, but they also used Saturday's doubleheader as a way to raise money for breast cancer research.

Fans were treated to an amazing pitchers duel in game one as Albright's Jaime Weckesser who was celebrating her 20th birthday faced-off against the most dominant pitcher in softball today in Jess Rhoads.

The two battled it out through the eight inning contest, but it was Rhoads who truly stole the show, throwing a perfect game, the first of her career and second in Messiah Softball history. Only a sophomore, Rhoads faced 24 Albright batters, and retired all 24 in order. At the end of the opener, Rhoads had totaled 14 strikeouts in eight innings of perfection.

For Weckesser her amazing performance comprised of eight strikeouts and five walks. The righty surrendered just six hits and only one of the two runs scored in the eighth and final inning were earned.

In game two, Rhoads returned to the circle and took on junior pitcher Dana Parolari. Just like game one, the two pitchers went pitch-for-pitch through the first three innings. Albright actually recorded the first hit of game two on a Kelli Zimmerman single in the first inning.

Combined Albright would tally just two more hits in the contest, as Rhoads proved dominant yet again. For the Falcons, their big inning came in the fifth and sixth innings, when they scored a pair of runs in each.

Messiah initially broke the scoreless draw in the fourth on an RBI single by Jackie Brown. The Falcons capped off the victory in the seventh with one more run to take the 6-0 conference decision.

Softball returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to Misericordia University for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.